1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to floatation devices, and more particularly to pontoons for floating boats and boats having pontoons.
2. Description of the Related Art
Boats are used for a variety of purposes, including recreation, transportation, fishing, camping, and socializing. Pontoon boats are popular for these uses and are preferred by some boaters because of their relative stability and their capacity to accommodate many people.
Pontoon boats have a keel, which is a main structural member that runs lengthwise along a centerline from a bow portion (front) to a stern portion (rear) of the boat. Pontoon boats normally have a shallow draft. That is, the depth of the keel of the pontoon boat below the water line is shallow. In addition, pontoon boats typically include a generally flat deck that is supported on airtight floatation tubes, i.e., pontoons. A nose cone is located at the front of the pontoon to help the boat glide forwardly through water. Conventional pontoons have a cross section with a fixed diameter. As a result, the pontoon""s load supporting capacity is constant along the length of the pontoon. Pontoons with fixed-diameter cross sections therefore can keep a pontoon boat afloat in a generally horizontal orientation if the weight of the boat and its occupants are relatively equally distributed along the length of the pontoon.
The deck supports furniture, engine, fuel, and often additional items such as fishing equipment, coolers. The engine, typically comprising a relatively heavy 75 to 115 horsepower engine, is mounted on or near the stern of the boat. The fuel tank, often weighing several hundred pounds when full, is usually located near the engine. Therefore, even without including passengers, the majority of the weight is concentrated in the back of the boat.
Pontoon boats usually include seating for multiple passengers. This seating is typically concentrated at the stern. The suggested maximum number of persons for a typical 18-foot boat is 8 people, with a maximum of 12 people on a typical 22-foot boat. Considering that an average person weighs about 150 pounds, eight people, on average, weigh 1,200 pounds and twelve people, on average, weigh 1,800 pounds. The maximum weight capacity for a typical 18-foot boat is 1,900 pounds, for a typical 20-foot boat, is 2,155 pounds, and for a typical 22-foot boat is 2,400 pounds. Although the weight of the people alone can be carried by these boats, it is difficult for a pontoon boat to accommodate this weight when it is concentrated in one area of the boat. In particular, it is difficult for a pontoon boat to support many people at the stern, where people tend to congregate both because of the design of the boat and because the ride tends to be smoother at the stern. Many boats include a table along with seating at the stern, and many people prefer to sit around a table. Having people assemble at the stern places the majority of the load at the stern. As discussed above, this load concentration near the stern is compounded by the fact that weight of the engine, furniture, and fuel, which are also at the stern, must also be borne by it. In addition, the captain""s chair is at the rear of the boat. When enough weight is loaded at the stern, a conventional pontoon boat no longer rides generally horizontally in the water. Instead, the boat lifts toward the stem. This causes several problems. For instance, the ride becomes rougher when the bow is further out of the water. In addition, lifting of the boat makes it difficult to stand or walk. Items may also slide off tables or shelves. Additionally, when the lift towards the stern is extreme, the engine can become submerged, causing failure of the engine.
Thus, there is a need for a pontoon that avoids at least some of the problems noted above. In particular, the pontoon should compensate for uneven load distribution along the length of the boat. The pontoon preferably should also be retrofitable onto an existing boat. Furthermore, there is a need for a boat having pontoons that compensate for greater weight in the stem of the boat.
The invention, which is defined by the claims set out at the end of this disclosure, is intended to solve at least some of the problems noted above.
In accordance with a first aspect of the invention, a pontoon is provided. The pontoon includes an elongated body of non-uniform diameter. The body is dimensioned and configured to provide a non-uniform buoyant force along at least a majority of a length of a boat in order to accommodate an uneven load distribution on the boat.
In one preferred embodiment, the body has a front end and a rear end, and the body is tapered in cross-sectional diameter along at least a substantial portion of the length thereof. The pontoon may include a generally cylindrical body that may have an elongated portion cut away or omitted to define an elongated flat wall that is attachable to a lower side of a deck of the boat.
Also provided is a pontoon boat that includes the pontoons having an elongated body of non-uniform diameter. The pontoon boat also includes a generally flat deck having an upper surface and a lower side. The pontoons are attached to the lower surface of the deck.